Niki Rudolph

Dear 17 Year Old Self

This is the first of what will be a month-long challenge to blog daily based on prompts from the #reverbbroads11. The prompt for today is: If the you of today could go back in time and give advice to any of the previous yous, which age would you visit and what would you tell them?

Dear Niki,

I know you are excited about your first year in college, and you are really enjoying your first quarter. (That Ellen you met at orientation and the first day of class? Well, she becomes your maid of honor later, so get to know her.) I know you are excited to be at Ohio Northern, where your parents and grandfather attended. You are going to have an amazing four years.

But I need to tell you something. You need a different major. Stop pretending like you’ve always wanted to be an English teacher. Stop pretending like you don’t like math. Your communication and English classes come in handy, but truly you’re going to be better off with an Economics degree. Revel in that analytical side of your brain. It will be more beneficial to you in the long run. Besides, you would end up hating most of your Education courses anyhow.

But the Oral Interpretation course you have this quarter? Get to know Dr. Robertson. She is amazing. When she asks you to be part of a readers theater, say yes. When she is teaching Political Rhetoric, take it. It feeds that strategic part of your personality. Between that and the debate team, you can still hang on to the communication courses. Just take more Econ. Dr. Rishi will love you for it.

6 thoughts on “Dear 17 Year Old Self”

Ha – love it! And see, here I would be telling myself to go ahead and get that English degree – just because you have no idea what you’d use it for. Otherwise, some day you’ll end up going back for it anyways :-).
Then again, if web design or instructional technology had been majors then, we both know what I REALLY should have picked.

I love how well you remember some of your classes and professors. Teachers can have such an incredible impact on us, especially college. I hope you’ve found a career that makes you happy and fulfilled. Glad you joined our Broads!

Kassie, I have definitely found a career I was built to do, and after my PhD, I will probably audit an econ class…proud nerd. I am very thankful for my college education and the amazing mentors I gained while there.